The Needs of the Many
by Karel
Summary: Even though he was trying to protect Captain Bridger, Lucas is imprisoned in a foreign country for killing a man. Will the UEO sacrifice him for the sake of peace? A direct sequel to my story, Growing Pains.
1. Chapter 1

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* * *

The Needs of the Many**

In memory of Chance, AT and JB. Never forgotten.

I started this one many moons ago but never finished it. That has always bugged me so I'm putting it up here to motivate myself. I'll post it in parts and hopefully, when I finish posting what's written, I'll have written the ending!

This story is a direct sequel to **Growing Pains**, which can also be found on this website. Do a search for story title.

**Here's a brief synopsis of the first story**: The seaQuest been assigned to escort Ambassador Lessman and Captain Bridger and Lucas has attended the meeting between the Tuvalu and the Ellice, trying to hammer out a treaty that would please both sides. Lucas and Bridger, deciding they needed a short break, slipped out to visit the restroom and then a local store. A group of Ellice men, upset by the treaty, decided to send the UEO a message by attacking Captain Bridger. Trying to protect the Captain, Lucas was forced to shoot one of the men. The first story ended in Lucas' cabin aboard the seaQuest as he confronted his emotions and Kristin and Nathan helped him deal with the aftermath.

* * *

"Handcuffs!" Kristin Westphalen exclaimed. 

"There's really no need for handcuffs," Captain Nathan Bridger protested as Lucas moved even closer to him.

The officer holding the handcuffs looked at Ambassador Lessman who shook her head ever so slightly and he backed away.

"Now, Captain, Mr. Wolenczak, I know this looks bad but it's only a formality," the Ambassador explained soothingly. "The Ellice want to know what happened and we need to let the Tuvalu handle it in their own way."

"But we're talking about a sixteen year old boy, Ambassador," objected Kristin, ignoring the looks Bridger was sending her way. "I really don't see why he can't stay aboard the seaQuest while we straighten this nonsense out. Why is it necessary to lock up a sixteen year old boy!"

The small group stood on the dock outside of Juunh, the capital city of the island. After an agonizing night spent in self-doubt and soul searching, the early morning call had come. The Ellice wanted Lucas to come forward to answer questions about the incident. Bridger had spent several hours on the vid link with UEO command but they declared that their hands were tied and the seaQuest would have to respect the laws of the island.

For Lucas, it came as somewhat a relief. Even though Kristin and the Captain had assured him over and over that he had done the only thing he could, he still had a guilty conscience. Swallowing hard, he stepped around the Captain, head held high. "It's ok. I'll go with them and get this whole thing settled. Don't let Ben throw my stuff overboard," he ended with a nervous little laugh.

The Captain grabbed his arm. "Lucas…" he said softly, but the teen pulled out of his grasp and kept going with the Ambassador following close behind. Captain Bridger and Kristin trailed silently along at the back of the group. Bridger couldn't help but think of the last time that they had walked this road with children dancing and singing around them. Now the atmosphere was less party like, more like a funeral march.

Knowing that if he looked back his legs would suddenly lose the ability to move, the teen walked quickly towards the town as the officials led the way. The group stopped in front a small wooden building. Governor O'Leary was there to greet them, a sour expression on his face.

"Didn't think he would show up," the Governor said gruffly to Ambassador Lessman.

Why you bastard, Bridger thought to himself but outloud he said in a hard voice, "I've registered my protests with UEO command and your government also. There's no reason that this boy should be held."

The Governor stepped up closer to the Captain, face to face. "We don't really care much what the UEO thinks right now. There are some who feel that maybe we should not be involved with the UEO, that the UEO wants to take over our country for itself."

Lucas went cold at the other man's words. What a fine mess you've gotten yourself into now, Wolenczak, he chided himself wordlessly. Some diplomat you turned out to be.

Meanwhile, Bridger was seething, waiting for the Ambassador to defend the teenager. When no protest was forthcoming, Bridger threw an angry look in her direction and poked a finger at the Governor's chest. "This whole mess is an accident, the work of Ellice rebels who took offense at the way you've treated them for years. YOU are not innocent bystanders and I won't have you accusing a sixteen-year-old boy of murder and trying to deliberately sabotaging the negotiations!"

"Nathan…." Kristin warned in a low voice.

Bridger took a deep breath, and forced himself to keep in mind that he was in uniform and still an official representative of the UEO. He knew Kristin was reminding him that he had to follow proper protocol, whether he liked it or not.

The Ambassador took a step forward between the two men. "I'm sure that boy will be fine, Captain, and the Tuvalu will treat him well," she announced cheerily as if the teenager was headed out to summer camp. Opening the door, she asked, "Shall we?"

The building was basically one big room with three cells set at the back. There was a desk, chair and a large cabinet set in one corner of the room. A large man, dark hair cropped close to his head, opened one of the cell doors and stood aside.

"This is Crinko and this is his jail." O'Leary smiled crookedly. "He takes a lot of pride in his work." He gestured to Lucas. "If you would?"

Lucas stepped in to the jail cell and looked around. "Well, this is cozy," he commented dryly. Except for a wooden shelf attached about knee high up on the wall, the cell was empty. There was one window covered in bars. He turned around, grabbed the bars and peered. "Anyone have a harmonica or tin cup handy?"

Kristin frowned at him. "Do you mind if we could have a few words in private?" she asked and everyone except Bridger moved back towards the door.

"One night, right, they said one night and it'll be over tomorrow?" Lucas asked nervously, a hint of panic creeping around the edges as he pressed his body against the bars.

Reaching over to cover the teen's hand, Bridger gave it a tight squeeze. "Hang in there, kiddo. We'll have you back on the seaQuest tomorrow. We'll tell our story and next thing you know, you'll be laughing with Wolfman on the Internex."

The Doctor slipped her hand between the bars to caress the boy's face lightly. "Just do what they ask and be calm. We'll bring some of your things up a little later."

Lucas gave them a weak smile and then turned to stare out the window, his emotions on edge.

"Let's go." Bridger had to pull a reluctant Kristin away. "He wants us to leave before he loses control," Nathan whispered knowingly. "Besides, I want to get back and yell at Bill some more."

They walked past the Governor and the Ambassador without a word. There was nothing more to say.

Bridger strode back to the launch so quickly that Kristin had a hard time keeping up. The look on his face was enough to discourage any sort of conversation. The Doctor almost felt sorry for Bill Noyce. Kristin knew that Nathan would move heaven and earth to get Lucas out of that godforsaken place. The teen would be lucky if he saw land ever again once he was back safely on the boat.

Krieg met them in the launch bay. "Where's Lucas?" he asked anxiously. "You didn't leave him behind, did you?" He stood in directly in Bridger's path.

"Not now, Lieutenant!" The Captain said harshly but then he relented, and in a softer voice explained, "It's not something I wanted to do. You know as well as I do that we have to follow the rules of the country and yes, that even includes civilians. It's comes with the whole package."

"But, Captain…" Ben stopped, knowing that berating the Captain would do no good and just made himself look bad. "OK, for now, but if you want to send in a small team to do some 'behind the scenes' work, let me know and we'll go in and get him," he said emphatically.

A small laugh escaped through Bridger's lips before he could stop it. A picture of Ortiz, Crocker and Krieg in full camouflage gear tiptoeing through the palm trees flashed through his head. Patting Ben on the shoulder, he commented, "We'll leave that as a last resort, Lieutenant. Make yourself useful; go to Lucas' cabin and put together a bag. Put together a change of clothes, a toothbrush, and some entertainment to keep him occupied and I'll take it over to him in an hour or two."

"Yes, Sir," barked Krieg as he gave a sloppy half salute before he ran off, happy to be able to help the teen.

"Call me, Nathan, before you go back over. I have a few treats that I want to send over as well." Kristin started off and then turned around. "Oh, and if you don't get anywhere with Bill, I'll have a few choice words prepared for him." She smiled at him sweetly and winked at him before she left too.

Striding to the wardroom, Bridger learned on the table and punched the code for the bridge. "Get me Noyce and I don't care if he's otherwise occupied. I want to talk to him!"

It only took a few minutes before Bill appeared on the screen, in his bathrobe, but seated at his desk in his home office. He immediately held up his hand to stall the tirade of words that he knew would be forthcoming. "I told you, Nathan. The Council has given me strict orders. Ambassador Lessman is handling things on Tuvalu and the seaQuest is not to interfere. We are getting two reports a day from her and she thinks that Lucas will be back on seaQuest by tomorrow night at the latest."

Sitting down with a sigh, the wind taken out of his sails temporarily, Nathan protested, "Bill, I had to leave a frightened sixteen year old kid alone in a jail in a foreign place. He doesn't deserve this and you know it. He did nothing wrong."

"I'm sorry, Nathan, I like the kid too, but this time we have to put our personal feelings aside. You know General Thomas wants that island for military purposes and the Ambassador feels that this situation is will only get worse if we interfere. Like it or not, your boy may be the key to bringing the Ellice and Tuvalu together."

"Great, Bill, just great. Is this what the UEO has come to? Diplomacy at the expense of a sixteen year old. Get him out of that jail or so help me, I'll break him out and we'll disappear back to my island. Bridger out." With that he jabbed the button angrily. His head sank into his hands with his elbows braced on the table. This whole situation was an ugly nightmare.

8888

The bright sunlight shone through the window as Lucas sat on the hard wooden platform. "Could someone bring me a newspaper or a book? A computer? Paper and a pencil? " He shouted loudly but there was no response. God, he was bored. He had tried looking out the window for awhile but that was depressing; watching everyone going about their business, moving about freely. Was this how the Tuvalu disposed of their prisoners, they bored them to death? He looked at his watch. It had only been one hour. He sank slowly back against the wall, dejected. This was worse then one of Ford's lectures.

Wait. His watch. Nobody had searched him. He shuddered as the word strip search gave him a little mental nudge. Things could be worse. Standing up, he searched his pockets. Hmm. His multi tool; some wire he had needed for the vocorder; three breath mints, slightly fuzzy; that silly plastic dolphin key chain that Ensign Black had given him; a permanent marker; a few old gum wrappers; and his electronic black jack game. Not much, he thought sadly, though Hitchcock could probably make some sort of flying machine with it and escape. He thought briefly about trying to pick the lock, since no one around, but shoved that idea quickly to the back of his brain. For now, he would be the model prisoner. Maybe he'd even get his picture on the wall as Prisoner of the Month. Chuckling out loud at that one, Lucas sat back on what he had decided was supposed to be the bed. At least the game would keep him busy until Bridger got back.

* * *

Three hours later, the Captain had collected Lucas' things from Krieg along with a bag of the teen's favorite snacks from Kristin and was headed back to the island. Several people had needed his undivided attention on different matters and it had taken him longer than he had liked.

"seaQuest shuttle, this is Ambassador Lessman," squeaked the comm unit. "Do not, repeat, do not dock. Please return to seaQuest. There is an angry Ellice mob on the beach. It is not safe for you to come ashore."

Grabbing the mike, Bridger answered, "I can have twenty armed men there in a half an hour."

"No! That will make matters worse. Both sides are suspicious of the UEO at this time and a show of power from seaQuest will only lead to more trouble," the Ambassador explained. "I'm doing all I can to keep tempers from flaring and to get back to negotiations."

"I can't leave Lucas there," Nathan argued. "I have to come and get him."

Lessman's voice dropped to friendly, soothing tone, "I'm going to get the Governor to release him. O'Leary has pledged to keep the boy safe, Nathan. I'm sorry that he ended up in the middle of this mess."

Taking a minute, Bridger debated what to do. His first instinct was to dock anyway and do what ever it took to get Lucas but his orders were clear. For now, he would let the Ambassador do her work. "One hour, Ambassador, you have one hour. If I don't hear from you by then, I'm coming in. Bridger out." He turned to his pilot. "Take us home, Ensign". A cold chill ran down his spine as a headache quickly started to pound. The whole thing felt very…wrong. What the hell was he going to tell Kristin?


	2. Chapter 2

Please enjoy!!

Lying on his hard wooden bed, Lucas had one arm flung over his face. It had been over three hours and he had grown tired of the blackjack game. Where was the Captain? He had said he would be back. The sound of the lock being open made him jump and he looked to see Crinko opening the cell door, tray in one hand, accompanied by another man who held a gun pointed at him.

"Lunch," Crinko announced. "Most of the time, I make prisoners lay face down on the floor when I come into the cell, but I think with you, we'll make an exception, right, Lazlo?"

The other man, Lazlo, snickered. "I don't know, Crinko, he looks like a dangerous fellow!"

"Ah, don't make fun of the kid. He's going to be the savior of the Tulavu people! It's a shame what the Ellice are going to do to him, though. They really are nasty." He put the tray on the floor. "Eat up, kid, you don't have many meals left," Crinko laughed. "Ow!" Lazlo's hand smacked him on the arm. "What was that for?" he demanded angrily.

"You really do have a big mouth. Shut up in front of the kid." Lazlo smacked him in the arm again for good measure.

Lucas sat up and eyed the pair suspiciously. "What the hell is going on? Is this some kind of Abbott and Costello routine? I want to talk to the Ambassador!"

The two men left the cell, locking the door behind them. "Don't worry, kid, I'm sure you'll be remembered in story and song." The two men roared loudly and then left the building again.

Weird, Lucas thought to himself. Just plain weird. He looked at his watch again. Another five minutes gone. Picking up the tray, he examined the contents. Some sort of fish, some fruit and a cup of water. As he started eating, the front door opened again and the Ambassador appeared.

"Lucas, hi. It looks like you've settled in nicely," Lessman greeted him cheerily.

"Um, yeah, sure, just like summer camp," he replied, amused by her attitude.

"I received a message from seaQuest," the Ambassador continued. "Seems they had to respond to an emergency call from a ship in trouble. The Captain says they'll be back as soon as they can and we're to proceed with the trial."

And getting weirder all the time, he thought to himself. It was very strange that the Captain would leave. "All I want is to tell my side of the story so I can get out of here."

"Tomorrow morning, everything will be settled. I'm going to see the Governor now." Turning to go, she took a few steps, and then faced the teen again. "Lucas, I am sorry but there's no other way." With those mysterious words, she left.

Confused, Lucas resumed eating but found he had lost his appetite so he got up to gaze out the window. Perhaps the UEO had given up on him; decided he wasn't worth the trouble any more. The seaQuest had left. The Captain had left him behind in this hellhole parading as a paradise. He was alone and standing trial for murder. God, what if they actually found him guilty? It was a sobering thought and one he had never actually considered until this moment. No, his conscience screamed, not murder; self-defense. Everything about this whole fiasco was wrong. Plopping down in the corner on the dirt floor, his fertile teenage imagination started to run wild.

It was late that night when Crinko and Lazlo came back. Lucas lay silently on his back, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. Lethargically, he turned his head and looked at them with heavy eyes. Lazlo had the gun in his hand again while Crinko was carrying a small black case. There was no conversation as Crinko unlocked the cell door and they entered the small space. They moved quickly, taking the teen by surprise. Wordlessly, Lazlo grabbed Lucas by the arm and tossed him face down across the wooden bed, twisting his arm behind his back to effectively immobilize him.

Trying to fight back, Lucas kicked his legs to no avail. Arms of steel pinned him down. "Hey, get off, leave me alone," he cried, frustrated. He watched as Crinko took a full syringe out of the case. The teen felt the tip of the needle against the skin on his arm and winced at the pain when the needle slipped in. Biting his lip, he refused to cry out again.

Finally, the weight of Lazlo body was lifted and the two men disappeared as silently as they had come.

Lucas curled up in a ball as the drug started its slow path through his veins.

Fifteen minutes later, Lazlo entered the cell, followed by Crinko. The jailer picked up the unconscious teen, throwing him over his shoulder like a sack of flour. As they left the building, a group of men were standing around, holding lit torches.

"OK, go ahead," The Governor waved to the men.

Crinko threw Lucas in the back of a cart and quickly covered him with blankets. He climbed onto the front seat and prodded the horses forward. Behind him, the jail was blazing and the roof quickly caved in with a loud roar.

It was early the next morning but the most of the Bridge day shift had already checked in. It had been a restless night aboard the seaQuest with the crew worried about their young friend.

"Captain," O'Neill called across the Bridge to the Captain's chair. "It's a call from the Ambassador."

A cold shudder ran down Nathan's spine as he looked at the grim, pale face on the screen.

"Nathan," The ambassador began. "I'm sorry, but the Ellice…they stormed the jailed and burned it." As she watched the blood drain from the Captain's face, she quickly added, "We think they took Lucas with them, perhaps as a hostage or a bargaining tool."

"I thought you were going to keep him safe," Bridger said angrily. "He was your responsibility."

The Ambassador paid no attention to the Captain's outburst. "I've already put a call through to Noyce to send some more manpower. We're going to have to go in hard, forcing the Ellice to surrender. Diplomacy here has ended. The Ellice have shown that they are not capable of running a government. I'll let you know when we will be mounting an offensive. Otherwise you are under orders to stay on your ship." With that she was gone.

There was a moment of silence as the bridge crew digested this new information.

"If anyone on this bridge believes that load of bull, please raise your hand," Bridger announced disgustedly.

When no hands were raised, Ford asked, "Well, now that we're all on the same page of the book, what are we going to do about it?"

"Throw out the book?" suggested Krieg, ready to jump ship to go find his friend.

"Lieutenant, we all know what is at stake here, and while I'd like nothing better to thumb my nose at the UEO right now, Lucas would not want us to sacrifice our careers. He's had enough guilt to deal with lately," Bridger chided gently.

"So what exactly are you suggesting, Captain?" O'Neill questioned.

"You're not just going to sit here and abandon Lucas, are you, Sir?" demanded Krieg with a tone that bordered on disrespectful.

Bridger started pacing, rubbing his chin. "Obviously, things are not all that they appear to be. I'm not sure what the Ambassador is up to but to go from diplomacy to all out war over the kidnapping of a teenage boy is extreme. Let Noyce handle her. Our job is to find Lucas, while remembering we're still representatives of the UEO. We need to appear that we are following orders. Ortiz?"

Miguel scrambled down from his station, eager to help. "Yes, Sir."

"Assemble a small team, no more than six or seven men. Full scuba gear but easy on the weapons. Take along casual clothing to change into. I don't want to appear threatening to either side until we know exactly what we're dealing with. Until we find Lucas, I want to remain neutral. I have a feeling when we find Lucas, we'll find our answers." Bridger saw Krieg in the background, looking agitated. "And take Ben with you." Bridger turned to Hitchcock's station. "Katie, send out the probe to the other side of the island. We need a sparsely populated spot for the team to land." He started walking off the bridge. "Jonathan, I need to tell the good doctor what's happening; she's probably ready to jump out of her skin. Don't let the team go until I've met with them."

"Sir, what should I do if the General calls?" Ford called after him.

"Stall him!"

Ford sighed as he parked himself in the Captain's chair. He wasn't sure who would be easier to face, the Doctor or the General.

The return to reality came slowly for Lucas and for a long time, he just laid there on the ground, groggy and in pain. His arm was on fire after Lazlo had twisted it and the site of the injection throbbed. Finally, he summoned enough strength to pull himself up right again.

Another jail cell. How exciting, he thought to himself. This one was even smaller than the last. A small cinderblock room no more than eight feet by eight feet, bars on the window, dirt floor and what looked to be a heavy metal door. In one corner, he found a bottle of water and some foil bags of crackers, cheese and pineapple slices, which he gobbled up hungrily. Cobwebs hung in the corners. Obviously the cleaning lady didn't make regular rounds here. He groaned as he got up, his muscles tight and sore, and stumbled to the window.

Outside, dawn was slowly breaking through the clouds. It didn't look like he was in town anymore. All he could see were trees.

Panic started to rise and he tried to calm himself. Did anyone know where he was? Was this his punishment for taking a life? He sat down in the corner and buried his head into his hands. Maybe this was what he deserved.

Bridger met with the team in the launch bay. "This is strictly a covert operation. Go in quietly, find a spot to settle and contact us. I hope we'll have some news for you by then. When you land, make sure that you have no insignia identifying the UEO on you. Stay hidden until nightfall and then fan out, groups of two. Check out buildings, get into the government building and see what you can find. Try to blend in with the crowd and stay alert for anything that looks odd. We'll be back at this spot in 24 hours, and then 24 hours after that until we hear from you."

Krieg gave him a thumbs up. "We'll get him back for you, Sir."

"Good luck, gentlemen." Bridger gave a small smile of thanks to Ben. After his men had boarded the shuttle, he went back to the Bridge. Kristin was there, talking to Darwin and rubbing his melon.

"O'Neill, I want you to try and contact the Ellice. We want to locate someone named Mikki."

Kristin came over to his command chair. "Pulling at straws, aren't we?" she asked, doubt in her voice.

"It's a long shot but we need to try everything. The Tuvalu isn't going to help us. Let's try the other side." He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know what else to do," he said helplessly.

Rubbing his arm soothingly, Kristin said softly, "I know you're worried but your hands are tied. Let Miguel and his team gets in there. Lucas probably found some native girls to charm and he's wondering what the heck taking us so long. I'm sure he'll find some way to let us know where he is."

But Bridger was not in the mood for Kristin's calming words and slid out from under her hand. "I was the one who got him into this mess. I was the one who brought him along and I was the one he was protecting!" He grumbled angrily. His back was to Kristin, hands clenched into fists, his muscles rigid with tension. "I can't just sit here and wait!"

Kristin exchanged looks with Ford. The Captain was clearly on the edge, which was not good for anybody. She went and slid an arm around his waist. "Why don't I buy you a cup of coffee?" she said lightly but firmly, indicating that it was not just a request.

Bridger allowed her to walk him off the bridge. Ford turned to Crocker. "Stay alert for the team's check in. O'Neill, try to reach the Ellice. See if you can find someone who's willing to talk to us." Ford glanced again at the clamshell doors and then settled into the Captain's chair. For the time being, it was his watch and he hoped that when the Captain came back, he could deliver some good news.

Kristin settled Nathan at a table in the deserted dining room and then busied herself getting coffee and some muffins for both of them. The Captain sat forward in his chair, elbow propping up his arm and face in his hand. He needed to find his control again, locking his emotions away so he could take command of the situation. But all he could think about was Lucas, out there somewhere alone and then his thoughts turned to Robert, who had died alone. It was too hard to separate the past and the present.

Kristin arranged the food on the table and shoved the cup towards the Captain. "Drink. I wish I could give you something stronger but caffeine will have to do for now." She took a few minutes to think about her words, mulling over the best way to proceed. It was time for a no nonsense approach, she decided. The Captain would not appreciate being babied and there was no time to play around the core of the problem. "Look, Nathan, no one blames you for what is happening. I'm sure that Lucas doesn't either. It is what it is and now we need to take on both the Ellice and the Tuvalu to get Lucas back."

After taking a long sip of coffee, Nathan looked up into Kristin's face, pain shining in his eyes. "All I can think about is Robert and why I took refuge on my island."

Kristin took Bridger's free hand into her own. "Lucas is not Robert and this is not the same situation." She stated firmly. "You can't keep him on the boat and with you all the time." She gave a little laugh when his face registered surprise at this observation. "I know you feel responsible for him but you have to accept that this is a UEO vessel and there are dangers. We all reach that moment in our parenting where we have to take a giant leap of faith and let our children go. This is your time, Nathan. It's not fair to Lucas if you can't let him live his life to its fullest. You might as well ship him back to his parents if that's the case." Having said her piece, she sat back with her coffee and waited to see what affect her words would have.

Startled, Nathan set his coffee cup down with a splash. Send him back to his parents. No, that was not an option. He couldn't send the boy back due to his own insecurities. Kristin was right, it wasn't fair. He hadn't asked for a 'babysitting' assignment, in fact had totally rebelled at the idea when he decided to stay on but Lucas was so much more to him now. He had been given a second chance to be a parent and he didn't want to lose it. He knew that it was time to put his demons to rest, to bury them deep and lock them up tight.

When he looked up again, he gave Kristin a smile that it took her breath away. She saw the fire in his eyes, along with determination. "How did you get so good at getting inside your patient's head, Doctor? Are you sure you're not a psychic?" He gulped the rest of his coffee and grabbed a muffin. "Let's go, Doctor, we have a teenager to save."


	3. Chapter 3

Hi. The ending is coming alone nicely and should be finished within the week. I know what I want to do for the very end, but I have to get to that point and rescue Lucas. Also, sorry about the lack of breaks between scene changes. For some reason, they aren't always showing up in the document. Enjoy!

Go Giants!!!

After a short period of indulging in self-pity, Lucas' natural curiosity reasserted itself and he began to explore his surroundings. Not that there was much to explore. To amuse himself, he took out the permanent marker he had in his pocket and drew "Lucas was here" on the stone wall. Then he set about drawing a dolphin on the wall.

He was startled when he heard an engine outside and scrambled up, running to the window. Bridger had found him! "Help, help!" he yelled out the window. "I'm here!" He heard the sound get closer. "Help!"

The heavy metal door banged open and Lucas felt a flash of pain as someone resembling a small bull backhanded him across the face. His knees turned to jelly and he dropped to the ground, arching his back when a foot kicked him in the side. "Shut up, kid" bellowed his tormentor.

"Eugo, stop now!" a new voice commanded from the doorway. "You're not to hurt him." Ambassador Lessman reached down to help Lucas into a sitting position. "We can have a doctor come down to look at you if you wish, Lucas."

Wrapping his arms around his aching midsection, Lucas threw a dirty look in the Ambassador's direction and then dropped his eyes to stare at the dirt floor.

"I know you're upset with me, Lucas, at my deception but I had to get friendly with the seaQuest so I could misdirect their attempts at peace. I really must thank you. When you killed that Ellice boy, you gave us a perfect opportunity to exploit the UEO. I couldn't of thought up a better plan." Lucas closed his eyes as feelings of remorse swept over him. "Sometimes, Lucas, the needs of the many outweighs the needs of the few. Sacrifices need to be made to preserve the culture of our people. Before long, you'll be known as the new savior of the Tuvalu, a martyr for our people."

"Let me go. The UEO will never let you get away with this!" He demanded.

"My dear boy, the UEO doesn't really care about you. They LET US have you, a murderer brought to justice. The seaQuest is long gone, off to help people who really need it. They've agreed that we can take care of the Ellice. " She gave a short bark of a laugh.

NO! The teen paled at the thought. Bridger wouldn't leave him here alone. But a little voice inside his head whispered, but he left you alone in that jail. He gave the doubt a mental shove. The Captain might play along but there was no way that Bridger would abandon him.

"You can't keep me here, I'll run away!" His voice was firm and strong but he felt the edge of horror threatening to overtake him.

"Where would you run to? You're on an island. The Tuvalu will shut their docks and forbid the UEO from coming back."

Another car pulled up outside. "Oh, there's my little surprise for you. Eugo, watch him." She left and then came back a few minutes later followed by a smaller woman with red hair. "Sugar, this is Lucas; Lucas meet Sugar. Eugo, please bring Sugar's supplies in from the car."

His curiosity getting the better of him, Lucas watched warily as a chair, several buckets, a large barrel of water and a large black case where brought into the small room. Eugo pulled the teen out of his sitting position and threw him into the chair. Eyes wide, he felt like a specimen under a microscope as Sugar and Lessman circled him, chattering in Tuva.

"Black, I think and short, military short," Lessman finally decided. "Warm up the skin, as if he has a nice brown tan. We're just going to give you a little makeover, just in case. We need to make sure that no one knows who you are."

With an arched eyebrow, Sugar made a comment in Tuva.

"I know but we can't do anything about the facilities. You'll have to do the best with what you have. I'll be back. Eugo, make sure he cooperates." Lessman walked out.

Grumbling under her breath, Sugar set to work opening her black case and taking out bottles and a large cape. Eugo came in with a bucket of water. Lucas knew he was not going to like what was coming and started to slip slowly out of the chair. Everyone was occupied and he thought he might make a run for it. He made it to the doorway and then a large hand grabbed the back of his shirt and yanked him back so hard he saw stars. He was slammed back into the chair.

"We can do this the easy way or we can do it the hard way, it's up to you," a sickly sweet voice whispered into his ear as he slumped slightly stunned in the chair.

A comb sliced through his hair as scissors worked their way around his head. The fear of losing an ear was the only thing that held him still. That and the fact that Eugo had a firm grip on his thighs, pushing him down into the chair.

Finally, the scissors stopped and Sugar stepped back to examine his hair critically. "Ok," she said in English and motioned to Eugo, who grabbed Lucas by the hair.

Forced to his knees, the teen closed his eyes to stop the tears of pain. He was not prepared when his head was plunged into a bucket of water and he came up sputtering and gagging. Several times his head was plunged into the bucket and all he could do was gasped for air as soap was rubbed into his hair. The process was repeated and then he found himself sitting in the chair again, shivering as the cold water ran down his face, soaking his clothing.

Sugar pulled on gloves and used a bottle of black liquid to squirt his hair, running her fingers through to allow the dye to soak in. Then she wrapped his head in plastic and washed up, putting her things away.

The Ambassador came back in. "How about something to eat?"

Defeated, Lucas shook his head and stayed huddled in the chair. He didn't have the energy to do anything at that moment. Lessman shrugged her shoulders and they went outside to the car to have their lunch.

The teen closed his eyes, desperate to escape from reality. He pretended that he was in his warm cabin on the seaQuest and let a wordless tune play through his mind to calm himself.

When the others returned, he forced himself to awareness, afraid of what was to come. Eugo filled a bucket again with water and he waited for a dunking. This time though, the water was just poured over his head, the watery black dye coating his clothes. Sugar stepped in with a large towel and rubbed his head vigorously.

"Excellent job, Sugar," the Ambassador crowed approvingly. "I'm sorry we don't have a mirror to show you the results, Lucas. I think we'll wait till tomorrow to do the skin. Eugo?" At her command, Eugo yanked the chair, ceremoniously dumping Lucas on the ground. He went out and minutes later, came back carrying a mattress and a small bag, which he threw on the floor. He and Sugar packed up Sugar's supplies and left with out a word.

The Ambassador bid him farewell, "Until tomorrow, Lucas," and she started to leave, pulling the door shut behind her. She stopped and warned, "Oh, and there will be guards out here, so behave yourself." With that, the door closed with an ominous bang.

Lying on the ground, Lucas wiped his eyes and nose on his soaking wet shirtsleeve. He ran his fingers over his head, recoiling at the short hair. Thank god he didn't have to look at it. He felt…humiliated. Finally, he gathered himself up and looked at the mattress and bag that had been left behind.

The mattress, while thin and rather dirty looking, would be better than sleeping on the floor. In the bag, he discovered a change of clothes; a simple short sleeve tunic and drawstring pants that most of the Tuvalu wore. Quickly, he changed out of his wet, stained jeans and t shirt and put the clean clothes on. Also in the bag was a blanket, which he would be grateful for later. Though the island was tropical, the night would be cool. There were a variety of food and drink items, which led him to believe that it would be a long time until he had company again.

Trying to see the sun out the small window, he judged that it was early afternoon. He sighed and his eyes caught the wall where he had been drawing early. Jumping up, he quickly emptied his jean pockets, carefully hiding his things under the blanket near the mattress, and sat back down again. He didn't want to lose those. They were his only reminders of home.

When Bridger arrived back on the bridge, Jonathan Ford let him know that the Ambassador had called again.

The news was not good. A body had been found in the burnt shell of the jail and taken to the morgue. It would take a few hours to do an autopsy since the body had been burned beyond recognition.

As Bridger turned to the moon pool to talk to Darwin, Ford quickly offered up reassurance. "It could be anybody, Captain. There no reason to think that it is Lucas."

Bridger's smile, if not especially full of cheer, was at least warm. "It's all right, Jonathan. I'm not sure what the Ambassador's game is, but I don't trust her anymore. I think we need to connect with the Ellice and ask them for help."

"Are you going to tell Noyce…?" Ford's voice trailed off as he expressed out loud what everyone was thinking. After all, Bridger has said it earlier, they were officers and most of them wanted it to stay that way.

"No, no," Bridger shook his head impatiently. "I told you before that Lucas would not want us to get in trouble with the UEO on his account." He chewed his thumbnail thoughtfully for a minute and then spun to face the communications station. "Lieutenant O'Neill, did you complete those communication tests that you were working on?"

"Sir?" O'Neill asked bewildered.

Stepping forward, Ford explained, "You know, Lieutenant, those tests that we received the memo on a month ago but you kept putting off. Wouldn't NOW be a good time to run them, since we are JUST sitting here…?" He gave Tim the look.

"Oh, oh, those tests," Tim stammered, suddenly catching on. "The ones where some of the chips were malfunctioning and needed to be replaced! Yes, Captain, I WAS going to run those tests now and we may experience a communications blackout from time to time.

Behind them, they heard a loud English sounding snort. "Really, Nathan, that's the oldest trick in the book." The trio turned to see Kristin shaking her head at them. "Do you really think Bill Noyce will fall for that?"

"I don't give a crap what Noyce believes. It's the Tuvalu I'm worried about and it's enough of a cover to give us time to figure out what's really going on." Bridger made his way to his command chair and settled comfortably into it. "O'Neill, while you're pretending to run those tests, see if you can get a hold of someone on the Ellice side. I think it's time to switch alliances."


	4. Chapter 4

Hi all. Ok, the story is finished (!) but I'm waiting on some editing to come back to me, so you only get this small chunk for now. I think that having one or two other people look over your work is important. When I'm in full writing mode, I tend forget the little things, and it's good to have someone else read through to catch them. It's amazing what another pair of eyes can do for a story. So many thanks to Caitlin and Anthrogeek for helping me out. There are probably still some errors but hopefully nothing major!

C. Charmed – sorry about the Patriots! Um, not really! Hurrah for the Giants! Comments and thoughts always appreciated!

* * *

Lucas shifted on thin mattress so that he could see the sky better between the bars. The stars were shining bright in the clear sky and he could pick out some of the constellations that the Captain had taught him. It was a small comfort. He wondered if the Captain had called his parents yet. It would be difficult for his father to leave his project but maybe his mother….

Bang! Blinking in astonishment, Lucas stared at the smoke filled air at the window where the bars once were. A child's face came into view. "Hurry up, just don't sit there!" the voice yelled at him. "This is …how do you say it…oh, a jail break."

Taking a split second to consider whether this was a new friend or just more trouble, Lucas decided to take his chances. Grabbing his things, he scrambled out the window. Anything was better than sitting here. He'd roll the dice and take his chances outside. Lucas was helped out the window but then a hand grabbed him from behind and covered his mouth. Crap, he thought.

"Shhhh. Just be quiet till we get away from here!" a mystery voice said as he was picked up as if a sack of potatoes and dropped in the back of a wooden cart. Darkness enveloped him as cloth was piled on top of him and a small, solid object perched on top of him. The ride was bumpy as he was bounced around and various body parts scraped against the rough wood.

Finally, the cart and horse came to a halt and the weight that held him down was gone. Someone peeled back the cloth and he saw a small boy about eight peering down at him, illuminated by the moonlight.

"Hi!" The boy smiled at him.

Sighing in relief, Lucas pushed himself up and slowly looked at his surroundings. Several children of various ages were hanging on the sides of the cart, staring at him. Unless a clan of munchkins had kidnapped him, he may have lucked out and found new friends. "Um, hi?"

Mikki suddenly appeared, looming over him. Uh-oh. Maybe he was still in trouble. As an uneasy sensation started to bubble up, he had a feeling that maybe he jumped out of the frying pan directly into the proverbial fire. Had the Ellice taken him so that they could extract their own brand of revenge for the murder of one of their own?

A flash of fear must have crossed his face because Mikki suddenly smiled. "It's ok. We don't want to harm you. I have forgiven you for shooting my brother; I know you were forced to do it to protect your Captain and yourself. Come. Meet my wife. She has some food and drink for you and then I will tell you what is going on. You've had a long few days."

Mikki helped him out of the cart as the children scattered, laughing and chasing each other. Lucas gave his body parts a little stretch, cramped from riding in the cart. He took in the outline of small huts that sat in a semi circle, a large fire blazing high in middle.

"This is my village, Mannin," Mikki said proudly. "It is not as big or exciting as the city, but we are happy here. We would like to offer our children more but the Tuvalu treat us like second-class citizens. They want to take away what little we do have."

He led Lucas into one of the huts. Rustic but cozy looking, it was one big room broken into several sections. There was a large wooden table was surrounded by six chairs and there was a couch and several armchairs arranged near the back of the room. A staircase disappeared up the sidewall. Standing over a pot on stove stood a large woman in a pink flowered dress.

"This is my lady, Elia. This is Lucas."

Elia snatched up a small towel and hurriedly wiped her hands before bowing to Lucas. "It is great that you found him! Was there any trouble?"

Mikki sat at the table and indicated to Lucas to do the same. Elia placed bowls in front of them and brought the pot over to dish out the stew. As he picked up his spoon, Mikki shook his head negative.

"No. There was one guard, and he was snoring. We blew the window in the back and got out of there as quick as we could."

"Mikki," Lucas started, putting his spoon down and wiping his mouth with his napkin. "Not that I'm not grateful for you getting me out of there, but what the hell is going on?"

"You remember when my brother and his friends attacked you and your Captain at the store?"

Lucas rolled his eyes and gave a short nod to the other man. Like he could forget!

"It seems that he was working for the Tuvalu. This whole thing is a large plot against the Ellice. The Tuvalu were hoping that the UEO would blame us for the Captain's beating and then they plan to come in and destroy us. They think when that happens the UEO…how do you say it…will turn an unseeing eye to it." Mikki knew that his next words would wound. "They told Bridger you were dead. I don't know if seaQuest is still here. The Governor is hoping that the UEO is angered enough by your death that they will come and help them fight against the Ellice."

Lucas, startled by this turn of events, thought about how his friends would have handled the news of his death. He hated to think about the Captain's reaction. The man had enough heartbreak for a lifetime. He had to find a way to let them know he was ok. "I need to contact the seaQuest. I have to stop this."

Shaking his head, Mikki explained, "There are very few communicating devices among our people. The Tuvalu like to keep us isolated from the outside world. We are trying to arrange for one but you need to stay hidden because they will be trying to find you. If you get back to the UEO, you will ruin all their plans. The government wants to destroy us, but they underestimate us because we are ready to fight."

Lucas took the last bites of his food and pushed away from the table. "If I can contact seaQuest, there won't be any fighting." He picked up his bowl and took it into the kitchen area. "The UEO will take down the Tulavu and put the Ellice in charge."

Mikki helped Elia cleared the table. "I will take you to the leaders and we talk about what we can do." He put his hand on Lucas' shoulder. "Whatever happens, I will protect you. If you cannot get back to your boat, you will be welcomed here," he promised, leading Lucas out the door as Elia was calling the children inside.

* * *

An hour later, Lucas found himself sitting around a fire with the leaders of the Ellice. Several were angry and were ready to attack the Tuvalu, while others wanted to try a more diplomatic, peaceful solution, like trying to talk to Governor. Most of them knew Lucas' story and were willing to find a way to get him off the island.

As they sat, discussing their next actions, there was slight rustling of leaves that made everyone stop talking and look around suspiciously. Several men jumped up, grabbing large sticks and slingshots.

Mikki shoved Lucas down to the ground behind the woodpile and said, "Don't move!"

From out of the forest emerged several large shadowy shapes that became human as they stepped closer to the fire. "Look here, Spatz, the women's knitting and tea society, having their weekly midnight meeting," one man laughed as he brought his weapon up to target Mikki.

"Maybe the Governor will give us a special medal if we bring in the whole Ellice rebellion in one bunch. That would be worth something, right, Tiba," Spatz said menacingly as he went toe to toe with one of the other Ellice men.

"I don't what you're talking about. We are talking about our planting for next season. Just a bunch of friends after a hard day of work, sharing drinks. Though I don't suppose the three of you know much about friends, do you," Richa, a tall skinny Ellice, answered mildly. "We're not looking for any trouble so why don't you leave?"

The third member of the Tuvalu party, Davi, lifted his pistol and sent a loud boom into the air. Everyone jumped and Mikki and Richa traded small nods. Spreading out, the Ellice clenched their fists and tightened their muscles, ready to fight.

Mikki warned, "Cut that out, or we'll have an all out war. You might be trying to signal your people but my people are going to wonder what is going on and come running too. Are you ready for that much blood on your hands?"

Davi cackled. "Nobody cares what happens to your people. Haven't

you heard the rumors? The Governor called the UEO and they are going to make sure that your existence comes to an end. Your wives, your children, your animals, you."

Enraged, one of the Ellice threw the first punch and the battle began.


	5. Chapter 5

Ya –hoo! It's finished. Can you believe I started this 5 years ago?? I hope you enjoy it! Originally, I was going for the happy ending but this stray thought came along and I went with it because life is messy and things don't always work out.

C. Charmed – Regarding the Superbowl, I guess it depends which side you were rooting for but as a Giants fan, it was a fantastic game!

Thanks to Jen for her help and advice. Thank you everyone for your comments!

* * *

A short distance away, Krieg and Ortiz were literally beating the bushes for any sign of Lucas, looking for remote buildings where a prisoner might be held. The sound of gunfire brought them to a dead stop as they tried to figure out from where the sound came. Ben nudged Miguel with an elbow into the ribs, and pointed off to the east at the loud voices that were echoing through the forest. They broke into a hard run but pulled up short of the struggle that was going on by the fire.

These were the first people they had come across on the island and Krieg waited to see how Ortiz wanted handle this. He surveyed the enraged faces. "Maybe it's time to ask some direct questions," he suggested.

Ortiz took a minute to consider the implications of acting on Krieg's suggestion. He knew the Captain wanted them to keep a low profile but time was moving fast and their lack of progress was frustrating. Tim could keep the UEO on the back burner for so only so long until they demanded attention. Miguel didn't want to force Bridger into having to choose between the UEO and his relationship with Lucas.

Watching the expressions flit across Miguel's face, Ben waited impatiently as the men around him as the sound of flesh pounding on flesh rang in his ears. The stress from the last couple of days washed over him and he was tempted to jump in to relieve his tension. Smacking someone silly would have felt really good at that point.

Finally, Ortiz stepped forward and in his best authoritative tone shouted, "Hey, stop it! What's going on here? Why are you fighting?"

Miraculously, the fighting actually stopped and the men turned to glare at the intruders. Spatz and Davi reached down to pull Tiba off the ground. Tiba wiped his mouth and spat blood on the ground. "We'll be back," he growled and the three Tuvalu ran off.

Krieg ignored them as a sound behind the woodpile caught his attention.

"Miguel?" a voice came from the darkness, filled with skepticism and a little touch of hope.

"Lucas!" Krieg exclaimed. "Lucas?" Incredulity dripped with every letter as he took a good look at the boy who emerged from the darkness into the fire light.

Self consciously, Lucas touched his short, black hair. "Yeah, it's me. If you say one word, I'm going to tell Katie about those pictures in your locker."

Krieg studied the teen's face for a millisecond and then pulled him into a tight hug. Those blue eyes he would know anywhere. "Good to see you, kid."

A troubled look settled on Ortiz's face but he took a moment to drop his hand on Lucas' shoulder. "Are you ok, Lucas?"

A grin broke out on Lucas' face as he finally realized that he was safe and everything was going to turn out fine. The seaQuest had come back for him. "I just want to go home."

Mikki and his friends gathered around the threesome. "Lucas, are these friends of yours?" he asked suspiciously.

"Yes. They're from seaQuest. They can help you, Mikki. The Captain can give you weapons and manpower to stand up to the Tuvalu," Lucas explained excitedly.

"No, Lucas, this is not the UEO's fight," Mikki answered gently. He looked at Ben and Miguel with a hard expression. "You need to get him out of here. They will be back and they won't be alone. The war has started. We need to get the word out. Goodbye, Lucas." With that, he and his two friends turned and jogged off into the woods.

"C'mon, Lucas, time to go." Ben wrapped his arm around the boy's shoulder.

Ortiz pulled out his PAL. "All teams meet at the checkpoint. We found him. Time to pull out."

"NO! The Ellice helped me. It was the Tuvalu and the Ambassador. They set this whole thing up." Lucas was outraged and tried to pull away, fighting under the suddenly tight grasp of Miguel's hand around his wrist.

"Lucas. Quiet now and listen. It's not safe. We have to get out of here," Ortiz ordered in his strictest voice.

Even though he was a civilian, after spending so much time on a military vessel, Lucas knew a command when he heard one and automatically he knew better than to argue. He permitted them to lead him through the forest, grumbling under his breath the whole way.

* * *

Waiting impatiently while the launched docked, Lucas was the first one out the door to confront the Captain, who was waiting just as impatiently, Kristin by his side. Ben had radioed ahead so Bridger was ready for the verbal assault that was about to occur.

"Captain. We have to go back! They need help! The Ellice saved me and we have to help them fight the Tuvalu," Lucas demanded urgently.

Bridger grasped the teen by the arms and gave him a quick once over. Except for the awful hair, the Captain was relieved to see that the boy was generally in one piece and in good shape. He knew that the Doctor was itching to whisk the teen away to her private domain to give him a through check up. He sighed deeply and took the protesting boy into his arms to give him a hug. "Thank you, Krieg and Ortiz. Would you please go the Bridge; we're headed out to open water. I'll be there in a few minutes. We can't ignore the Admiral much longer."

Ben and Miguel gave nods of understanding and quickly left.

"Captain…" Lucas went on even as Kristin took him from the Captain into a quick embrace. The adults gave each other a concerned look.

"Ssshh. Lucas, listen. No, now listen." The Captain pressed a finger to the teen's lips to silence him. "There's nothing we can do. This is between the Ellice and Tuvalu. We can't get involved."

"But," Lucas protested. "This is MY fault. It started because of me!"

Captain shook his head. "No, Lucas, this storm started brewing long before we arrived. Yes, you might have been the catalyst but the Ambassador was using you and the UEO as a scapegoat. She needed somewhere to place the blame."

Discreetly, the Doctor and the Captain steered the teen out the door in the direction of Med Bay. Lucas kept up the protest as they walked down the corridor.

A stray thought that had been wiggling in the back of Lucas' brain suddenly struck him. "The Ambassador said something about the needs of the many outweighing the needs of the few. Aren't the needs of the few just as important? The Ellice need the UEO, need us, to fight for them."

"Vulcan philosophy as a diplomatic tool, huh?" A skeptical look crossed Bridger's face. "Everybody thinks their needs are the most important, Lucas. I don't know what the Ambassador thought she was going to get out of this but obviously, she thought her needs were more important than the entire population of that island. There's been too much meddling; we need to stay out of it."

"But it's not right! The Ellice don't stand a chance," Lucas argued as they made the turn into Med Bay.

"I think you're underestimating them and they are more prepared then you know."

As Kristin guided him onto a bed, Bridger kept Lucas distracted. "Look at it this way, the Ellice have been under the control of the Tuvalu for years. Would they want the UEO to come in and find themselves having to follow the UEO rules? Do you think they would be happier under another master?"

While Lucas was stewing over these questions, Kristin lifted the edge up of filthy tunic and Lucas automatically raised his arms so she could slip it off over his head.

The Captain sat next to the teen on the bed, capturing the teen's face with one hand so he could look at him in the eyes. "War is never a good thing. Lives will be changed forever." Wide blue eyes focused on him, absorbed, as Kristin gently took Lucas' blood pressure. The boy didn't even break his concentration while she took his temperature. "But sometimes people have to take a stand and fight for themselves and their families."

Lucas looked away for minute, trying to get his emotions under control. He wouldn't pretend to be happy about the situation, in fact the whole thing sucked, but he understood that there was very little he could do. There was a brief second contemplating how much trouble he would be in if he took a shuttle filled with weapons and medical supplies but that idea was quickly discarded. The Captain's hand was warm on his cheek and Lucas turned back to give him a small smile. Bridger captured him into a hug and he rested his head briefly on the older man's shoulder, grateful to be home, back with the people he loved.

The warm moment was broken as the cold antiseptic was dabbed onto his scrapes and cuts. "Hey," he hissed as he glared at the Doctor.

The person responsible for the dabbing grinned at him delighted that she had gotten this far without him knowing. Usually she had to bully him in order to get some cooperation during a medical visit. "No more talking now. You can fully interrogate him later, after a warm shower and a good hot meal."

Chuckling, Bridger patted the boy on his shoulder. "Come and see me when you're done and we'll get a bite to eat. We can continue the philosophical discussion of war then." Giving Kristin a quick squeeze, he walked to the door while listening to Kristin continue talking in her mother mode.

"Now, drop those pants so we can take a look at the damage to your legs."

Lucas' loud groan echoed loudly throughout the Med Bay as Bridger ducked out, leaving for the safety of his Bridge, chuckling all the way. He needed to talk to Noyce about options that the UEO had concerning the Ellice/Tuvalu conflict. The UEO wouldn't take sides but maybe they could help the Ellice out indirectly. Then he would have to devote some time to hearing Lucas' story and helping him through the aftermath that was sure to follow. The needs of the many might be important but right now he only wanted to focus his attention of the needs of one sixteen year old.

END

BUT WAIT….there's more! OK, I had to have my original happy ending too, so there is an alternate ending coming. I wrote it today but need to type it into the computer so it'll be a few more days for that!


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